With a broken fin, you can always remove your harness and secure it to the tail of your board at the rear harness strap. That is not great since your harness is no longer holding the boom, and the harness dragging in the water is inefficient, keeping things slow and turning more than desired. But this self rescue does work, is faster and easier than swimming. I have done it myself successfully at one of the widest points in The Gorge. Help from other sailors is better, but self rescue should always be a last option. Carl S

Hi Carl,

Yesterday, I broke another fin while I was a couple of miles off shore.

I tried the harness trick, it worked, it took me an hour or so to get back to my starting point . It happened on the St Laurence river back home, in moderate wind/swell.

Just to stir it up a bit; if your sailing in the stumps at the Hatch, Swell, or Dougs youn are sailing in the wrong place. Lots of other places to flat water jibe. Try Mosier, Rowena, Stevenson, etc... Good self rescue tips though. When in doubt, swim MF. Old school, but still very effective.

Just to stir it up a bit; if your sailing in the stumps at the Hatch, Swell, or Dougs youn are sailing in the wrong place. Lots of other places to flat water jibe. Try Mosier, Rowena, Stevenson, etc...

I lie in the waterstart position, use my back foot in its strap to rail the board up 90 degrees onto its windward rail, and butt-sail home. It's quite relaxing, and one can even use the board's rocker to minimize lost ground or even pinch upwind a bit like this.

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